'Woman, who is equal to the moon in the flower of youth,
Is equal to a little old ape after the onset of old age'
This remarkable collection brings together a host of writings from across different regions and cultures of the Middle Ages, from the ninth to the fifteenth century. They are arranged to follow the life stages of a Medieval woman living a secular existence, from infancy and girlhood, through marriage and motherhood, to widowhood and old age. Some women are famous or captured in exceptional circumstances, many more are anonymous: an abandoned baby in Italy, or an epitaph for the female leader of a Synagogue, speaking across the ages.
This selection contains an introduction discussing the Medieval woman's status, separate introductions to each chapter, notes and a bibliography.
It is cultural history of a sweeping order... which can be savoured for its profusion of exhibits as well as for its ambitious thesis... A teeming book full of learning and humanity.
—— C. J. Fox , IndependentMakes tremendous sense... The wholly coherent effect of Hynes's study is all the more notable for the disintegrated nature of his material... A greatly rewarding study of how culture was dumbfounded.
—— Mick Imlah , The Times Literary SupplementA definitively brilliant history of the whole story
—— A.N. Wilson , Evening StandardKeenan has acheived razor-sharp recall of seminal incidents in a childhood that was extraordinarily insightful. Searingly honest. Eloquent
—— HeraldWhat distinguishes this account is the writing
—— Tom O'Sullivan , Financial TimesHis story...is affectionally recalled from darkness to light
—— Iain Finlayson , The TimesFascinating book
—— Kathryn Hughes , Mail on SundaySkilfully evokes the dread that corsairs aroused
—— Ludovic Hunter-Tilney , Financial TimesTinniswood's artful blend of narrative and analysis brings the pirates' society to life. Beneath the vivid surface of this book there lie, sometimes obscured by the vividness, the careful investigation and astute judgement of one of the most incisive of our popular historians.
—— Blair Worden , SpectatorNorth African pirates were the scourge of the 17th century, and plundered as far as Cornwall. Tinniswood tells their story with verve
—— Keith Lowe , TelegraphThe author's style is an absolute joy and his stories of attacks, based in eyewitness accounts, make rather more thrilling than many fictional thrillers are... He also proves an even-handed judge. While there's no attempt to whitewash the privateers here, there are explanations of what caused men to turn their hand to conquering the seas.
—— Robert James , The Book BagThis well-researched history of piracy presents brutal seafaring extortionists instead of eye-patched rascals.
—— Benjamin Evans , Telegraph Seven MagazineTinniswood unearths colourful characters and historical oddities while pointing out that the West's inability to deal with Somali pirates show how little we've learned in 400 years
—— HeraldMeticulously researched history of unrestrained murder, robbery and kidnapping on the high seas... This is a brisk, entertaining story, with royal proclamations, letters, maps and lavishness illuminating Tinniswood's vivid tales.
—— Lorraine Courtney , Irish Times[He] has unearthed many colourful characters and historical oddities and uses eyewitness accounts to weave a fascinating tale
—— Chard & Ilminster NewsAn astounding story of bitter civil warfare that raged across many countries for decades. Butterworth's passionate account of the anarchist movements born in the late 19th century describes a conflict that spawned its own "war on terror"
—— Steve Burniston , Guardian
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